THE CHRISTIAN GIVER - PART 8

THE CHRISTIAN GIVER - PART 8

The Christian giver must not only understand the Giving instruction but must take fast hold of it to profit thereof.  Matthew 13:11 "He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given". Giving is one mystery that works and from the scripture above, we see that understanding is very crucial. Understanding is very vital to the unveiling of any mystery. We live by light and rule by revelation. We must understand that there are different keys to different doors but you need to have a particular key to opening certain doors in your life. In the same vein, it will take more light and deeper understanding of the word of God to access the right keys. 

We have been laying the foundation for Christian Giving since the beginning of this series. The foundation of a house is very important. If it is not strong, the house collapses but if it is strong, it stands. Having a strong foundation on the principle of Giving is therefore the way to profit. Today, we will further look into the attributes of Giving that yield result. By now, we should understand that it's not all giving that is acceptable before God, in the same way God does not accept all forms of worship. There is a way it must be done and this is what we seek to understand. In our last article, we established that the Giving that produces results must come from the heart.

ATTRIBUTES OF GIVING THAT YIELDS RESULTS

2. IT MUST BE DONE IN LOVE:

There is a popular saying, "you can love without giving but you can not give without loving". These two go hand in hand. The Bible says in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave...". The New testament commandment on which every other commandment rest is LOVE (Matthew 22:36-40). It is very necessary that you give in Love whether you are giving to God or to His people. The Christians at Macedonia and Phillipi, even in abject poverty were sold out to giving. Why? Because they loved God; they loved the house of God. The things that interest Him interested them. Hence, we see why apostle Paul blessed them (Philippians 4:19).

As much as Giving is an instruction from God, when it is done in Love, it is done acceptably. By giving in Love, we have access to the blessings from our giving. 

1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ears heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him".

With Love, we tend to also know the appropriate gift to give. 1 Kings 3:3 "And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David, his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. Love helps you to give the acceptable gift. Genesis 4 (the story of Cain and Abel). Giving without Love is just like pouring water into a basket and expecting to have it filled up. 

Giving is a proof that we love God and his word.

3. IT MUST BE DONE CHEERFULLY AND NOT GRUDGINGLY:

Proverbs 17:22 makes us understand that "a merry heart doeth good like medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bone". In the same vein, a "Merry giving" yields good fruits but a "sorrow-full giving" dries up the seeds. And when the seeds are dried, how then can they grow into good fruits. 

In 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver". This is all - God loves a cheerful giver. 

God does not love when you murmur and complain over every act of giving you engage. He hates a murmuring and complaining spirit. We are to offer unto God a joyful seed, not one that is mournful. This is only when the blessings can rain down upon the seeds sown. Joel 1:12 "The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men". In the above verse, we see what happens when Joy is out of a man's life. Nothing works, the seeds sown never grow and if they can not grow, they will never bear fruits. 

To be joyful is to be cheerful. To have Joy in you at all times is to give an offering that can be accepted at all times. You are giving but you are also happily doing it; it is not burdensome to you, you are not reflecting how it will affect your spending for that month or that period. One is just full of Joy doing the will of the Father. 

Acts 2:46-47 "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved". 

God did not just add to the church or bless the early church but He did so on this platform as we see in the book of Acts above. When you are the type that grumbles over every seed, the heaven is stayed from raining over you. Even though you give, you still need Joy in your heart to fuel the Giving.

It is important to however note that both Love and Joy are fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Hence, you must be and continue to remain in the Spirit to have these fruits show in your life. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned"- 1Corinthians 2:14.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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